No Flower Power

The March 1 article about the "once-in-a-lifetime occurrence" of desert flowers due to El Nino (News, Tips & Bargains) inspired my wife and me to drive out to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park on March 2.

The experience was significantly less than we expected. Visits in prior years offered much more in terms of variety and profusion of flowers. On March 2, there was only one area in bloom, and only a handful of different types. In fact, sand verbena was the only variety with any degree of profusion.

CHARLES and

ANITA McCARTHY

Yorba Linda

Editor's note: Naturalists at Anza-Borrego and Death Valley said the bloom was the best in years. However, wildflowers are widely scattered, and rangers report that many species grow only in less accessible areas, away from roads.